Therapeutic device for utilizing radiant energy.



S. A. CUNNINGHAM. THERAPEUTIC DEVICE FOR UTILIZING RADIANT ENERGY. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14, 1912.

1,961,225. Patented May 6, 1913.

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WITNESSES s. A. CUNNINGHAM. THERAPEUTIC DEVICE FOR UTILIZING RADIANT ENERGY.

I APPLICATION IILBD NOV. 14, 1912, 1,061,225. Patented May 6, 1913.

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QQOQQQ WITNESSES BY A I W44. U I I W ATTORNEY PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL A. CUNNINGHAM, on NEW YORK, N.

'rHER rnU'rIc nnvrcn For, UTILIZING RADIANT ENERGY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May6,1913.

Application filed November 14, 1912. Serial No. 731,2 76.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL A. C NNING- HAM, a citizen of the United States, and resident of- New York city, borough of Manhattan,'county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inv Therapeutic Devices for Utilizing Radiant Energy, of which the following is a specification.

v For some time it has been well known that rays of light of a certaincolor or ,colors, or light from which rays of a certain color or colors hav'ebeen excluded, possess well defined therapeutic properties when directed against diseased tissues of the human body, rays of certain colors even penetrating to and haying a therapeutic effect upon the more deeply seated tissues underneath the skin-and this without appreciable effect upon the healthy. tissues through which the rays must pass.

Various styles and kinds of lightray filters have been employed from time to time, for purposes such as generally outlined above, in connection with a suitable source of ordinary F white light, suchas the electric glow lam with or without a suitable reflector, the lter consisting of a screen of colored glass or other transparent, semitransparent or translucentmaterial, this screen being interposed between the source of light and the surface against which it is desired to direct the light rays. It has come to be well known that rays of light of different colors produce differentv therapeutic effects, and filtering screens, of different colors have therefore been employed, the nature of the disorder or ailment determining the color-of the screen to be employed. If, for instance, it is desired'to hasten the healing of a-wound, a yellow screen has been,

employed-to filter out substantially all except the yellow rays of light which have been found to have the desired efiect. Violet and ultra-violet rays are known to be effective for the'plirpose ofdestroying germs in the treatment of certain kinds of skin. diseases, and underv such clrcumstances all except the violet rays should be filtered out by the screen. It has also been found that blue rays of light are efl'ective'when it is desired to relieve pain, particularly if due to congestion,

I lies well underneath the skin which is itself in a perfectly healthy condition. Similarly,

a source of light and a reflector have long even when the seat-of trouble.

been used for the purpose of generating heat portions of the body, and for what are known as electric baths in which the body as a whole is treated. In many instances,

however, the application of heat, to a degree very much in excess of the normal temperature of the body, is harmful and objectionable. Of course, where it is desired to destroy the tissue as byblistering or cauterizar' tion, the application of heat is essential,.but

for the application of the same to localized heat to too high a degree is objectionable, as Y I stated. It is Well known, however, that it is not possible to generate light without the generation of heat, and a reflector which will direct or concentrate the light rays will I also direct and concentrate the heat rays.

These heat rays, passing with the rays of light through the screen, naturally tend to heat the latter, and this has rendered it necessary to hold or locate the screenat some little distance from the body of the patient during treatment.

I have found that decidedly better effects are produced, particularly in the treatment of any derangements such as lumbago, neu- I, 'ralgia, col1c,,etc., by placing the filtering screen in direct contact With the skin over theseat of the trouble. When contact is not had the light ray tends to produce its efiect on the skin and not in the deeper tissues. In other words, it is best to eliminate any medium through which the rays must pass from; the screen to the skin of thep'atient. In most cases, however, due to the heating effect necessarily attendant upon the generationof light, and the concentration of the light and the heat rays due to the reflector the screen itself becomes heated to so high a degree that contact between said screen and the skin causes pain and possibly even blistering, which in many cases is decidedly disadvantageous if not fatal to the proper performance of the functions of the light rays. 1 7 o The principal object of'the present invention is the provision of a simple, self-contained, convenient, light andportable. device for generating light, directing the rays therefrom, through the medium .of a suitable reflector, over a comparatively limited area, and including a filtering screen adapted to Long ago, Finsen discovered thatcertain diseases-of the skin, such as lupus (tuberculosis of'the' skin) could be sucessfully treated by directing upon the diseased tissues isolated violet rays of light, and also found that the best effects were produced by passing these rays through rock crystal lenses pressed directly against the skin of the patient. In no other device, however,'so far as .I have been able to determine, was the filtering .screen brought into direct contact with the body of the patient, and Finsen, in order to keep his crystal cool enough to permit of such contact, employed a waterjacket. The employment of a water-jacket is objectionable, not least among the reasons for which is the fact that it obviously renders the device cumbersome and capable of use only under certain conditions, and this invention further contemplates, therefore, the provision of a device in which'the rays of light may be directed through the screen, without the application of anyartificial cooling means, and maintain a low enough temperature in said screen to permit ofits being placed directly in contact with the skin over the effected parts.

My invention will be more readily understood by' reference to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in which-- metal having a polished inner surface andtherefore providing a reflector for rays of light directed thereagainst. While I have referred to this shell as being substantially semi-cylindrical, it is obvious that it may be parabolic in lateral configuration, or have any other desired curvature which will'reflect the rays directed thereagainstfrom a suitably located source of light in substantially parallel arrangement through the open side of this shell opposite the reflecting surface.

I It being desirable, as stated, to dissipate the heat rays to a large extent by ventilating the interior of this shell or reflector 11, it might seem at first glance to be desirable to leave the ends thereof open. This, however, would give rise to other objections. In the first place means must be providedfor mounting an electric lamp and this shell must have at least one end portion for the support of the lamp in order that there may be no break in the reflecting surface of the shell. Furthermore, the device is often used at such locations on the body and so disposed that the rays oflight would be directed through the open end to the eyes of the patient. As treatments are often of some considerable duration, it will be appar-. ent that this steady glare would be annoying and inconvenient even if there were no more harmful results. I therefore provide this arch-shaped reflector 11 with end portions 12 and 13, the end portion 12 being provided throughout itsentire extent with the perforations 14 14, and the end portion 13 being provided with the perforations '15 15 in the lower part thereof in view of the provision of a socket 16 for an electric lamp 17 as hereinafter described. At each side edge of the shell 11, and preferably located near the ends of said shell, I punch apertures 18.which not only have the function, like the apertures 14 and 15,- of contributing to the ventilation of the interior ofthe shell, but'also provide interior lips or lugs 19 which'cooperate with the flanges 20' at the side edges of the shell to firmly yet removably support the glass screen 21. This screen 21 preferably consists in an integral piece or pane of glass of a color to filter out rays of light of certain color or of all colors except that of the screen itself. This screen 21 is curved, substantially as shown, the cur vature being such as would be complement-a1 to the average curvature of that portion of the human body to which it would naturally be most frequently applied. As hereinbefore suggested," one, of the most important features of my invention is the provision of a device in which this. light filtering screen may be brought into direct'contact with the skin over the afi'ectedpart or parts, and this screen is therefore curved in order that a larger area ofthe surface of the body may be brought in contact therewithjthan would 'be possible with a flat or straight screen.

This screen. is made removable through the employment of a plate 22 at one end of the shell,'this plate being securedto the shell by means of screws 23 having heads of such size and configuration as to be readily grasped livy the fingers, and it will be apparent that hen these screws are removed the plate 22may be taken OE and the screen 21 removed by sliding the same along its supports.-

I prefer to provide the device with a suit-' able handle 24 for the purpose of facilitating the application and also handling of the same, and I have also shown strap retainers 25, preferably four in number and;

located as shown, through which straps may be run for the purpose of binding the device securely to the body of the'patient over the affected part or parts. i

The lamp 17 and its socket 16 are of the usual well-known pattern, the latter being securely fastened to the end member 13 of the shell, the feed Wires 26 and 27 leading to any desired source of electric energy. This lamp will preferably. have a bulb of glass of the same. color' as that employed for the screen 21. This problem of utilizing light rays with the elimination so far as possible of the application\ of the heat rays, also cause the adoption \of the arch-shaped re flector', the usual dome orcup shape of re flector, such as used in search lights and head lights concentrating and intensifying both the light and the heat rays to too great a degree, and it being manifestly impossible to ventilate reflectments of the last-mentioned type without breaking the reflecting surface and even then not so satisfactorily as is possible witha reflector such as shown and described herein.

It will be apparent that I have provided a therapeutic device for utilizing radiant energy which is simple, self-contained, light in weight and portable, comprising a source of artificial light, a reflector adapted to dis pate the heat rays and concentrate the light rays upon a localized area of-greater or less extent, and a light-filtering screen which is adapted to be brought into direct contact with a substantial area of the curved surface of the human body irrespective of the degree of curvature.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a device of the character specified, the combination of a ventilated reflector; a transparent screen supported by said refiector and adapted for contact with the surface to be treated; and a source of light sur' rounded by a colored medium through which the light-rays pass.

2. In a device of the character specified,

the combination of an arch-shaped member having a reflecting surface upon its inner face; apertured end walls secured to sald member; a transparent screen supported at the outer edge of the arch-shaped member and adapted for contact with the surface to be treated; and a source of light surrounded by a colored medium through which the light-rays pass. 7

3. inadevice of the character specified, the combination of an arch-shaped metallic member having a reflecting surface upon its inner face, the lower edges of said member being turned inwar'dly; apertured end walls secured to said member,.the apertures being suflicient in number to permit free passage of air through the 'device to keep it'thoroughly ventilated and cooled; an electriclight supported by one of said end walls and lying adjacent to the reflecting surface aforesaid; lugs extending inwardly from the side walls of the arch-shaped member adjacent the inturned lower edges of said member and thereby,.,forming a guide-way;

and a transparent sc reen mounted in said ported by one of said end walls and standing in close proximity to the arch-shaped member; a transparent screen supported by the guide-Ways aforesaid; and means for holding said screen in place in said guideways.

In testimony of the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL A. CUNNINGHAM. I Vitnesses:

P. FRANK SONNEK, AARON GINSBURG. A. 

